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Small Forward Bending Shots

Focus
Skills under pressure, Fun.
Skills
GoalKicking, Kicking.
Purpose
Sometimes there is no choice but to take a shot from an acute angle. This drill can be done with forwards to give them practice at bending the ball into goal from both pockets.
group
Players
4+
profile
Ages
13+
ball
Balls
6+
cone
Cones
3
distance
Distance (max)
20m
  • Setup

    Choose defender (D) and a player who starts in the goalsquare (B). If you have assistants, one should be near the cones on the far side (3 & 4), the other behind the goals fetching footballs. 2+ balls are needed at (C), 2 balls are needed on the far side.
  • Step 1

    Each player will have FOUR shots on goal, three shots on the run, then finishing with a set shot. All shots will be taken from virtually the boundary line.
  • Step 2

    1st kick: Coach (C) rolls the ball so its almost out of play, along the boundary. (A) crumbs and simulating a situation where there's a path ahead, runs straight at goal to gain some yards before bending a grubber (checkside/banana) kick.
    Defender (D) doesn't tackle, but just corrals the player, covering infield, allowing them the boundary line to run along.
    Hold the ball so it angles slightly diagonally across the body from 7'o'clock to 1'o'clock
    The ball should initially arc into the field of play (left to right), then as it slows the spin will take it back into the goal.
  • Step 3

    2nd kick: Almost as soon as the first ball is kicked, coach (C) handballs a 2nd footy along the boundary
    This time (A) crumbs running away from goal. (D) again corals, but this time defender blocks the boundary path to goal, forcing (A) inside.
    (A) arcs around and takes a snap after opening up the face as much as possible
  • Step 4

    3rd kick: Following the snap, (A) sprints across the ground. There is a cone gate on the other side they must go through. Pick up the football which has been placed on the ground just goal-side of the cone gate near the boundary, and perform a similar kick to #1
    Hold the ball so it angles slightly diagonally across the body from 5'o'clock to 11'o'clock
    The ball should constantly bend to the right into the goal.
  • Step 5

    4th kick: A fourth football has been placed on the boundary-side cone of the cone gate. This is a set shot, so pick the ball up, go through your goalkicking routine, and attempt a (checkside/banana) kick from close to the point post.
    (A) joins (B) upon completing their 4th kick.
    For fun, see who gets closest to scoring 4/4.
  • Step 6

    Player (B) then kicks 2 footballs to the assistant on the cone gate to set-up for the next player, then grabs 2 more footballs and returns them to coach (C) and rejoins (A).
    Assistant places these on the ground for next kicks 3 & 4
    Next (A) can begin as soon as (C) has 2 balls.
  • Step 7

    Progress by allowing (D) to tackle rather than just corral.
More Drills
demo
play
video
Groups of
group
group-arrow
icon-group
8
Ages
profile
13 +
Balls/grp
ball
1
Cones
cone
1
Distance (max)
distance
15m
Focus
Skills under pressure, Run & Carry.
Skills
Shepherd, Crumb.
demo
play
video
Players
group
16+
Ages
profile
11 +
Balls
ball
1+
Cones
cone
4
Distance (max)
distance
80m
Focus
Hard Running, Front & Square.
Skills
Handballing, Kick Long, Shepherd.
demo
play
video
Players
group
20+
Ages
profile
13 +
Balls
ball
6+
Cones
cone
6
Distance (max)
distance
160m
Focus
Hard Running, Front & Square, Forward line delivery, Goalkicking.
Skills
GoalKicking, Kicking, Handballing, Crumb.
play
video
Players
group
7+
Ages
profile
13 +
Balls
ball
2+
Cones
cone
2
Distance (max)
distance
20m
Focus
Skills under pressure, Decision Making, Forward line delivery.
Skills
GoalKicking, Kicking, Tackle.
play
video
Groups of
group
group-arrow
icon-group
3
Ages
profile
9 +
Balls/grp
ball
1
Cones
cone
4
Distance (max)
distance
25m
Skills
Kick Short.
play
video
Players
group
20+
Ages
profile
15 +
Balls
ball
1
Cones
cone
0
Distance (max)
distance
160m
Focus
Skills under pressure, Defensive, Contested ball, Decision Making, Forward line delivery, Stoppages, Gameplan/Strategy.
Skills
GoalKicking, Kicking, Handballing, Tackle, Shepherd, Ruck, Crumb, Mark Contest.
play
video
Players
group
15+
Ages
profile
10 +
Balls
ball
1
Cones
cone
0
Distance (max)
distance
120m
Focus
Skills under pressure, Hard Running, Decision Making, Run & Carry.
Skills
Kicking, Handballing, Tackle, Shepherd.
play
video
Groups of
group
group-arrow
icon-group
12
Ages
profile
14 +
Balls/grp
ball
1
Cones
cone
6
Distance (max)
distance
100m
Focus
Forward line delivery.
Skills
Kicking.
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